Exploring the Different Types of Pilot Careers

Pilot Career Options

We created this brief list on some of the more popular and well known pilot career options that are available for certified pilots.

1. Major Airlines – Become a commercial airline transport pilot and fly all over the world for major airlines. There are more than 5,000 airlines worldwide, and with pilots retiring in record numbers, this remains the number one career for pilots who value their seniority.
2. Regional Airlines – Become a domestic commercial airline pilot for a regional airline carrier. Many pilots prefer this, because it requires fewer overnight trips and keeps them closer to home. You can achieve rank relatively quickly.
3. Corporate and Business Aviation – This type of commercial pilot usually gets to fly smaller, high-end, corporate jets and turboprops for corporations, businesses, and even for the rich and famous.
4. Cargo Pilot – A cargo pilot delivers parcels and packages for small and large cargo companies such as FedEx and UPS.
5. Charter Pilot and Air Taxi – A charter pilot is basically a pilot that flies people to specific destinations. You can operate your own private charter company or work for a large number of other charter airlines.
6. Ferry Pilot and Aircraft Salesmen Pilot – This type of pilot delivers newly purchased aircraft to the new owner’s destination. With plane manufacturing at an all-time high, this is a growing area.
7. Flight Instructor – Also known as a CFI, or certified flight instructor. This type of pilot career allows you to teach aspiring pilots, new pilots, and veteran pilots. CFIs can teach at flight schools, operate as private instructors, teach at aviation colleges, teach at airlines, and much more.
8. Medical and Air Ambulance Pilot – Also known as EMR pilots, these types of pilots fly for various medical situations. They fly for extreme emergency situations, life flight, organ deliveries, non-emergency patient transport, etc.
9. Government Service Pilot – Government pilot careers allow a pilot to fly for the many different agencies for the federal government. Some examples of agencies that hire pilots include: FAA, DEA, FBI, Homeland Security, Border Patrol, National Guard, Coast Guard, Transport, and more.
10. Law Enforcement Pilot – Just about every arm of law enforcement employs pilots to fly helicopters, airplanes, and jets. Local, state, and federal pilot careers are available to those who qualify and can pass the rigorous background screening processes.
11. Military Pilot – We already know what military pilots have to do as part of their job description, but keep in mind that not all military pilots are directly commissioned for combat. Military pilots get to fly the latest state-of-the-art aircraft and get paid to train. They accumulate flight hours towards their civilian-rated pilot licenses. They also get paid while on active duty upon completion of their advanced pilot training.
12. Fire Fighting Pilot – Pilots can get paid to fly aircraft to put out fires. This type of pilot career is very dangerous. Work is sporadic, and it takes extremely knowledgeable and experienced pilots to get the job done as safely as possible. Some people work as fire fighting pilots while having another pilot job. This could be working as a CFI, private charter, or commercial pilot.
13. Agricultural Pilot – Also known as an AG Pilot or crop duster, these pilots get paid to fly and release chemicals over farmland. These types of pilots are sometimes hired by local governments to assist with spraying chemicals for pest and weed control.
14. Banner Towing Pilot – This type of pilot career can best be defined as “low and slow.” This means you will be flying low to the ground and at slow speeds while towing advertisement banners.
15. Media and Patrol Pilot – This type of pilot usually flies around reporting on traffic, police pursuits, aerial surveillance, news media, etc.
16. Air Tour Pilot – This type of pilot career basically takes people on flights to tour different tourist sites. See attractions, natural wonders, and other popular destinations from the sky!
17. Airshow Stunt Pilot – Definitely one of the riskier pilot careers. This type of pilot performs aerial acrobatics for large crowds at events and venues. They perform in competitions, and sometimes this classification of pilot also competes in aerial races.
18. Contract Pilot – You can start your own pilot business and work freelance on a per contract basis. This means you will have to go out and find opportunities to bid on. Businesses, corporations, and governments all have a need for private contract pilots.
19. Test Pilot – That’s right, you can be a “crash test dummy” of the skies – without the crashing. This type of pilot career covers a lot of different sectors. You could be testing aircraft for aircraft manufacturers, private businesses, the military, federal government, and other aviation related businesses that may need test pilots.
20. Astronauts and Space Pilot – With recent aviation and aerospace technological breakthroughs, there is a growing need for space-trained pilots. In the next several years, qualified pilots will take commercialized commuter flights into outer space. They will have civilian and non-civilian passengers on board.
21. Drone Pilot – A drone pilot is the newest type of pilot career on the horizon. It’s anyone’s guess how this field will expand. Currently, unmanned aircraft is on the rise with regard to pay as new uses In this field increase. With everything from real estate (bird’s-eye views of properties) to law enforcement (searching for lost people in dangerous terrain) to tourism (looking inside an active volcano), the sky’s the limit.

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